79,000

There’s nothing that smells like Christmas like a real, fresh Christmas tree. And New Jersey, which ranks 6th in the country when it comes to the number of Christmas tree growers, has plenty to choose from. There are 1,150 farms that grow more than 6,000 acres of Christmas trees in the state. About 79,000 Christmas trees are cut down on New Jersey farms each year.

No wonder that a blue spruce from a New Jersey grower — Wyckoff’s Tree Farm in White Township — was named national champion this year and was delivered to the White House over Thanksgiving weekend. The Wyckoff family has owned its 172-acre farm for seven generations.

Indeed, selecting and cutting a Christmas tree right on the farm is a longstanding New Jersey tradition, and with less than a week until Christmas, it’s still not too late. To find a nearby farm, visit the New Jersey Christmas Tree Growers’ Association website. Listings not only include farm conveniences but also the types of trees that can be found.